


Two Sides to the Same Story

by TheDarkAgent



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Past Relationship(s), Secret Relationship, Stakeout
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:48:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27122041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkAgent/pseuds/TheDarkAgent
Summary: There's a lot of time for small talk during stakeouts. During his time on the Mustang team, Havoc begins to realize that his commanding officers' stories of their respective long ago teenage love affairs are similar... too similar. Light hearted Royai. Fluffy. One shot.
Relationships: Riza Hawkeye & Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Comments: 20
Kudos: 172





	Two Sides to the Same Story

East City, 1911

"I'm telling you, Hawkeye! She's the one."

"You think every girl is the one, Havoc," Riza said dryly.

"But it's real this time!"

The two marksmen were sitting in the shadows provided by the partially collapsed warehouse roof. They were staking out one of the warehouses across the road after one of Lieutenant-Colonel Mustang's sources had uncovered that the location was a popular front for the illegal weapons market. So far, their efforts were fruitless. The street was loud and noisy as blue collar workers went about their day and there had been no signs of anything suspicious occurring at the building in question.

"I'd stop talking about it if I were you, Havoc. You're only going to jinx yourself."

"Just because your love life is non-existent doesn't mean you can just shit on mine," Havoc groaned.

"My personal life is none of your business," Riza glared at him.

"Come on, Hawkeye, lighten up," Havoc said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it and paused to take a drag. "Maybe you do need to get laid. You know, between the team I'm sure we could set you up with a nice guy… or girl... if that's what you're into."

"Do you want to be shot?"

Havoc took another log drag of his cigarette. "All I am saying is you should work a little less and have a little bit more fun. Maybe it will stop making you so judgemental. Just because I'm not starving for sex like you doesn't mean you have to be such an asshole about it."

That hit a nerve Hawkeye was unaware she had. "I am not starving for sex. I just don't have time to bother with a personal life."

"Fine, fine," Havoc raised his hands, mockingly gesturing his surrender. He then turned serious. "But don't you wish you did?"

Riza shrugged, her eyes once again focused on the warehouse as a truck pulled up to the sidewalk in front of it. "I'm used to it. I didn't exactly grow up in the most loving of families."

"You know most girls looking to leave a rough childhood behind run away to get married, not to join the military."

"Lucky for them," said Hawkeye sarcastically. Her gaze did not waver from her target below as she waited for whatever stupid sentence would come out of Havoc's mouth next. She was unprepared for his response.

"Tell me Ri, have you ever been in love?"

Riza's gaze shot directly over to Havoc. He was looking at her seriously. "Well, I guess, yes I have."

"Let me guess, he broke your heart and you ran away to the military."

"No," Hawkeye shook her head as she debated internally on how much information to reveal. "It wasn't like that. This was my choice."

"Then what was it like?" Havoc gave her a friendly smile.

"My father was an alchemist. Took on a few apprentices throughout my childhood, but one of them… one of them was different. Kinder, nicer, actually spoke to me like I wasn't the maid. But he was a few years older than me so for the longest time it was just a childhood crush," Riza smiled softly at the memories.

"I didn't know your father was an alchemist. State certified?"

"No," Riza said and it was her turn this time to laugh. "He hated the military."

"So what happened to this apprentice of his?"

"He returned to Pembly- the town I grew up in- right after my father's death. He helped me with the funeral and things just went from there," Riza could feel a blush slowly growing on her cheeks. "So yes, I have been in love. Does that answer your question well enough?"

"Almost," Havoc said with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. "So if he was so great, why are you in the military and not his wife?"

"He had things he wanted to do with his alchemy. I had to settle my father's affairs in the meantime. He proposed and I accepted. But eventually, I decided that I didn't want to wait anymore. So I joined the military."

"Do you regret not waiting for him?"

Before Hawkeye could answer, a loud bang sounded from across the street. A shot out had started in front of the warehouse.

"Let's go," Hawkeye said, picking up her weapons.

Havoc nodded and stood up to follow her, their conversation already forgotten.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Outskirts of the Eastern Region, 1917

They had made it to the safe house shortly after midnight, exhausted but no worse for wear. It had been a long, but fulfilling day. The team quickly started to unpack their supplies for the night, everyone eager for a good night's rest.

"I'll take the first watch. Havoc, you're with me," Mustang ordered once everyone had had a chance to settle down. "Breda, Furey, get a few hours rest, you'll be taking the next shift."

"But sir-" Riza started to say, before she was cut off by Mustang.

"Hawkeye, you've been up since 0300 preparing everything for us. You will sleep. That's an order."

Beside him, Riza let out a soft sigh. "Fine." She was too tired to protest. Wordlessly, she grabbed her pack before heading upstairs to one of the bedrooms.

"I'll get the coffee started, Chief," Havoc said with a small smile.

Twenty minutes later, Havoc and Mustang were sitting on the porch, sipping on fresh coffee and enjoying the quiet night air. The rest of the team were already fast asleep on the second floor of the safe house.

"This is one thing I really miss about the country. Nights are too loud in the city," Havoc said after a while. He took a sip from his coffee cup. "That was the only thing that would bring me peace when I was in a wheelchair. I could open my bedroom window and just listen to the breeze rustling the tree branches outside."

"And that's one thing I do not miss about being blind," Roy answered. "You hear everything."

"There's something you miss about being blind?"

"It's a figure of speech, Havoc, lighten up." Roy took a sip of his own coffee, relishing in the warmth it provided.

"Take your own advice, chief. You've been death-gripping the coffee cup since I said the word 'wheelchair'." Havoc was right. Roy's knuckles were beginning to turn white around the tin mug.

"Sorry," Roy said with a sigh. "I'm just thankful Dr. Marcoh was able to fix your legs."

"Yeah me too," Havoc laughed. "I never blamed you, as hard as that is for you to believe. And even at my lowest, I never regretted joining the military."

"I wish I could say the same." Roy said. "What do you think your life would be like if you didn't join the military?"

"Boring as hell," Havoc said honestly. "I'd be working at my family general store. I don't know if a kid with my grades would have done much. You, chief?"

Roy paused for a moment, contemplating his answer. He decided to be honest, but vague. After all, he knew Riza was even more private than himself. Everyone assumed they had met in Ishval and she would never confirm otherwise.

"I guess I'd be married now. Maybe with kids."

"Married?" Havoc was genuinely surprised.

"Yeah," Roy smiled softly. "My master's daughter. Her father had just died. I had asked her to marry me and the plan had been for me to get my state alchemist certificate and come back for her after she had time to settle her father's affairs. But I was sent to Ishval the day after I qualified and she decided not to wait."

A knot formed in Havoc's stomach. This story was familiar… a little too familiar. He decided to continue the conversation, curious about his much information his boss was willing to share.

"You were engaged? Why haven't we heard about this?"

Roy shrugged. "I'm not one to bring up my skeletons in the closet."

You mean the skeleton asleep upstairs, Havoc thought to himself. Instead, he said aloud, "Why didn't you go after her when Ishval was over? Was she already married?"

Roy shook his head. "It just wasn't in the cards. That path for my life died in Pembly."

"Pembly?" Havoc's mind silently rattled as he confirmed his suspicions. "I thought you were from Central."

"I am," said Roy. "But my alchemy teacher lived on the outskirts of Pembly. It's this small, quiet country village in the southeast- smaller than Resembool even. It was quite the culture shock when I first got there, I will say that."

Havoc sat there for a moment. Did he dare say it? On one hand, his boss had opened up to him about his past, something that never happened, and Havoc did not want to overstep. On the other, he had nothing but love for Mustang and Hawkeye and maybe it wasn't a bad idea to suggest that he- well, the whole team really- always suspected there was something deeper connecting them.

"Come to think of it," Havoc said, deciding to take the risk. "Hawkeye's from Pembly. And if my memory serves me, her father was an alchemist too. Isn't that ironic."

Roy started at Havoc for an uncomfortably long minute. "How…?"

"She told me once, way back when you were still a Lieutenant-Colonel. She didn't use names, of course, but we were talking about teenage love affairs and she told me about an old apprentice of her father's. I will admit I never did think that it was you. I figured she just had a thing for alchemists."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, I won't tell her you blabbed." Havoc winked. "I won't say anything to anyone. There's enough suspicion surrounding you two already. But if I may speak freely sir, as a friend who was once paralyzed fighting for your cause-"

"Are you guilt tripping me?"

"Is it working?" Havoc chuckled softly. "But honestly sir, permission to speak freely."

"Like you haven't been the past five minutes?"

"Stop deflecting," Havoc paused to allow the conversation to return to its serious tone. "But tell me boss, why did you really end it and how did you convince her to join the military and be your adjutant?"

"I didn't," Roy said, not specifying which question he was answering. "There's no stopping Riza Hawkeye once she sets her mind on something."

"I don't get it."

By now, Roy knew he was in too deep. It was better to be open and honest with Havoc than try to skirt around the details. Havoc was a man who could be trusted.

"I went to Ishval assuming she'd be waiting for me. Imagine my surprise when a year and a half in, I meet the military's top sniper and it's her." Roy could not hide the tinge of bitterness that spread on his lips, but as quick as it had come, it vanished. "After Ishval, we both decided that the best way to atone for everything we did in that damn desert was to try and change this country for the better. And, here we are."

"Do you ever regret ending things with her, boss?"

Roy laughed and stood up, empty coffee cup in one hand. He headed towards the front door of the safe house before turning to face Havoc. He smirked. "Who said it ever ended?"


End file.
